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Mama's Sleeping Scarf

Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Illustrated by Joelle Avelino
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Ebook
Knopf
On sale Sep 05, 2023 | 32 Pages | 9780593537961
Preschool - 2
Reading Level: Lexile AD450L | Fountas & Pinnell L
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The first children's book from the best-selling author of We Should All Be Feminists and Americanah—a tender story about a little girl’s love for her mother’s scarf, and the adventures she shares with it and her whole family.

Chino loves the scarf that her mama ties around her hair at night. But when Mama leaves for the day, what happens to her scarf? Chino takes it on endless adventures! Peeking through the colorful haze of the silky scarf, Chino and her toy bunny can look at her whole family as they go through their routines. 

With stunning illustrations from Joelle Avelino, Mama’s Sleeping Scarf is a celebration of family, and a touching story about the everyday objects that remind us of the ones we love.
© Manny Jefferson
About the Author
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE grew up in Nigeria. Her work has been translated into more than fifty-five languages. She is the author of the novels Purple Hibiscus, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; Half of a Yellow Sun, which was the recipient of the Women’s Prize for Fiction “Best of the Best” award; Americanah, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award; the story collection The Thing Around Your Neck and the essays We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Her most recent work is an essay about losing her father, Notes on Grief, and Mama’s Sleeping Scarf, a children’s book written as Nwa Grace-James. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, she divides her time between the United States and Nigeria. View titles by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Joelle Avelino is a Congolese and Angolan Illustrator who grew up in the United Kingdom. She obtained a BA (Hons) in Illustration with Marketing from the University of Hertfordshire. Joelle collaborated with author Dapo Adeola to create Hey You! An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black, winner of the British Book Awards Illustrated Book of the Year. And she worked on the 25th anniversary edition of Baroness Floella Benjamin’s classic memoir Coming to England. View titles by Joelle Avelino
"A heartfelt story about a little girl, a beloved's mother's scarf and a host of adventures shared with it and her whole family." —Delaina Dixon, Ebony Magazine

"Solidly reassuring. . . . Avelino’s playful illustrations depict a family with a range of skin tones and hair colors, a refreshing reflection of the true diversity of the Black community. Bright, fantastical backgrounds with repeating circular patterns feature various shapes and colors while placing the focus on Chino’s relationships with her loved ones. The straightforward text lingers on each scene, inviting readers to dwell in Chino’s world. This is a cozy read-aloud to help little ones wind down before a nap or bed." —Kirkus Reviews

"This straightforward yet lively telling illustrates how a simple object used to maintain and accessorize hair supports both a child’s sense of autonomy and a Black family’s powerful bond." —Publishers Weekly

"An adorable book with beautifully-colored illustrations by Joelle Avelino. . . .  A sweet story about worries and adventures, along with routines and family. Mama’s Sleeping Scarf shows how the smallest things are connected, how a family relates to one another, and more importantly, how Mama always comes back home." —Black Girl Nerds

"A sweet story about family, connection, and the joys of everyday life." —Brightly (The Best Children’s and YA Books of September)

About

The first children's book from the best-selling author of We Should All Be Feminists and Americanah—a tender story about a little girl’s love for her mother’s scarf, and the adventures she shares with it and her whole family.

Chino loves the scarf that her mama ties around her hair at night. But when Mama leaves for the day, what happens to her scarf? Chino takes it on endless adventures! Peeking through the colorful haze of the silky scarf, Chino and her toy bunny can look at her whole family as they go through their routines. 

With stunning illustrations from Joelle Avelino, Mama’s Sleeping Scarf is a celebration of family, and a touching story about the everyday objects that remind us of the ones we love.

Author

© Manny Jefferson
About the Author
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE grew up in Nigeria. Her work has been translated into more than fifty-five languages. She is the author of the novels Purple Hibiscus, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; Half of a Yellow Sun, which was the recipient of the Women’s Prize for Fiction “Best of the Best” award; Americanah, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award; the story collection The Thing Around Your Neck and the essays We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Her most recent work is an essay about losing her father, Notes on Grief, and Mama’s Sleeping Scarf, a children’s book written as Nwa Grace-James. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, she divides her time between the United States and Nigeria. View titles by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Joelle Avelino is a Congolese and Angolan Illustrator who grew up in the United Kingdom. She obtained a BA (Hons) in Illustration with Marketing from the University of Hertfordshire. Joelle collaborated with author Dapo Adeola to create Hey You! An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black, winner of the British Book Awards Illustrated Book of the Year. And she worked on the 25th anniversary edition of Baroness Floella Benjamin’s classic memoir Coming to England. View titles by Joelle Avelino

Praise

"A heartfelt story about a little girl, a beloved's mother's scarf and a host of adventures shared with it and her whole family." —Delaina Dixon, Ebony Magazine

"Solidly reassuring. . . . Avelino’s playful illustrations depict a family with a range of skin tones and hair colors, a refreshing reflection of the true diversity of the Black community. Bright, fantastical backgrounds with repeating circular patterns feature various shapes and colors while placing the focus on Chino’s relationships with her loved ones. The straightforward text lingers on each scene, inviting readers to dwell in Chino’s world. This is a cozy read-aloud to help little ones wind down before a nap or bed." —Kirkus Reviews

"This straightforward yet lively telling illustrates how a simple object used to maintain and accessorize hair supports both a child’s sense of autonomy and a Black family’s powerful bond." —Publishers Weekly

"An adorable book with beautifully-colored illustrations by Joelle Avelino. . . .  A sweet story about worries and adventures, along with routines and family. Mama’s Sleeping Scarf shows how the smallest things are connected, how a family relates to one another, and more importantly, how Mama always comes back home." —Black Girl Nerds

"A sweet story about family, connection, and the joys of everyday life." —Brightly (The Best Children’s and YA Books of September)

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